179. Whoever imports or exports, or sells or delivers to, or buys or receives from, any other person, or otherwise traffics or uses as genuine, any forged or counterfeit coin, stamp, currency-note or bank-note, knowing or having reason to believe the same to be forged or counterfeit, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
IPC Section 256 in BNS: Section 179
Using as genuine, forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
Section 256 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Using as genuine, forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes) corresponds to Section 179 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in force from 1 July 2024. Under the BNSS First Schedule, BNS 179 is cognizable, non-bailable, triable by Court of Session; punishment: Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for 10 years and fine.
Bail, cognizability and punishment
| Section | Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 179 | Using as genuine forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp currency-notes or bank-notes. | Imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for 10 years and fine. | Cognizable | Non-bailable | Court of Session |
Source: BNSS, 2023, First Schedule, Part I.
The BNS applies to offences committed on or after 1 July 2024. Offences committed earlier are charged and tried under the IPC.
Text of BNS Section 179
Full BNS Section 179 and every IPC section it replaced →
Other IPC sections now in BNS 179
- IPC 234: → BNS 179
- IPC 235: → BNS 179
- IPC 237: Import or export of counterfeit coin. 238. Import or export of counterfeits of the Indian coin. 239. Delivery of coin, possessed with knowledge that it is counterfeit. 240. Delivery of Indian coin, possessed with knowledge that it is counterfeit. 241. Delivery of coin as genuine, which, when first possessed, the deliverer did not know to be counterfeit. 250. Delivery of coin, possessed with knowledge that it is altered. 251. Delivery of Indian coin, possessed with knowledge that it is altered. 254. Delivery of coin as genuine, which, when first possessed, the deliverer did not know to be altered. 258. Sale of counterfeit Government stamp. 260. Using as genuine a Government stamp known to be counterfeit. 489B. Using as genuine, forged or counterfeit currency-notes or bank-notes → BNS 179
- IPC 257: → BNS 179
- IPC 489D: → BNS 179
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